Bernardim Freire de Andrade, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetBernardim Freire de Andrade
Portuguese general
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Lisbon, Lisbon District, Portugal
About Bernardim Freire de Andrade
- Bernardim Freire de Andrade (Lisbon, 18 February 1759 – Braga, 17 March 1809), was a Portuguese Army general officer who was assigned to command the forces of the Porto Junta in 1808 during the Peninsular War.
- In March 1809, Freire commanded an army composed mostly of unruly militia which was opposed to Marshal Nicolas Soult's army of professional French soldiers.
- Freire understood that his poorly trained men stood little chance against the French but he was afraid to order a retreat because he feared for his life.
- When he tried to leave the army, he was arrested and put in the Braga jail.
- Soon afterward, a group of militiamen broke into the jail and murdered him. The commander of the British invasion force, Sir Arthur Wellesley complained that it was difficult to cooperate with Freire.
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